Fridges and freezers
You can put fridges and freezers in a skip. However, they must be emptied, defrosted and have the doors removed. These items are hazardous waste and must be disposed of correctly. Fridges and freezers are classed as white goods.
TVs and computers
There’s no need to dispose of your televisions and computers into landfill. Many skip companies will take these items for recycling.
Televisions and computer monitors are made of plastic, glass, wood, metal and can contain quite a few harmful chemicals such as mercury.
So instead of leaving them outside your house or chucking them into the local tip, try to find a responsible waste management company that offers a TV skip hire or computer collection service. You can also find out from your local council where your nearest electronics recycling centre is located.
This way you know that the components will be safely reused in future products—and not buried in landfills for generations to come!
Batteries
Batteries are something you can’t put in a skip. Most skip hire companies will not allow you to put batteries in a skip for safety and environmental reasons.
Some companies will remove the batteries from your skip at an additional cost and recycle them separately, others will have a separate container for your old batteries to be disposed of responsibly.
If you really want to get rid of your old car or household batteries, pop into your nearest recycling centre where they can be recycled for free.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a hazardous material and can only be disposed of by specialist companies who have the correct license. Skip hire companies will not take asbestos for transport or disposal, so you need to make sure that it is removed from your home before we arrive with your hire skip.
Asbestos is used in insulation and roofing materials because it provides structural support and fire resistance, but it can cause serious health problems if handled without care. If you are unsure whether or not your home contains asbestos, please contact a local professional removal company who will be able to advise you further on how to handle this material safely.
Tyres
You can’t put tyres in a skip. Tyres have to be disposed of separately as it’s illegal to dump them in landfill sites. Tyres are made of rubber and steel, both of which are recyclable. They’re also very hard wearing and durable, so they should always be reused where possible.
Paint
- Oil-based paints are not accepted in skips and should be disposed of at your local hazardous waste facility.
- Water-based paints, including acrylic and latex, can be recycled if the paint is still wet. Simply remove the lid from your container and mix sand, kitty litter or sawdust into your wet paint to dry it out (this is also a good tip for small quantities of leftover paint). Once the mixture has hardened, toss it into your skip and put the lid back on.
- If you have dried-out water-based paint, add it to your general waste bin—with its lid securely fastened.
You can’t put anything you want in a skip.
So, you’ve decided to hire a skip to help you remove waste from your home or garden? But what can you put in a skip?
The list is actually much shorter than you think. Skip bins are for general non-hazardous waste only, for example, things such as wood, metal and excavated materials from construction projects.
Skip bins should never be used for items such as asbestos; batteries; fridges and freezers; tyres; oil, gas bottles or chemicals and paints. These items are all considered hazardous waste which requires special disposal tips. If these items are found in your skip bin hire it will either need to be removed before the remaining waste can be collected or could result in your bin not being picked up at all with the possibility of extra fees being charged too.
When hiring a skip bin it’s always best to speak with the supplier about what can and can’t go into the bin before it’s delivered so there are no nasty surprises when they come to collect it. That way you can ensure that your waste is disposed of correctly without breaking any rules set by local governments on landfill usage as well as not causing any potential harm by incorrectly disposing of dangerous household chemicals etc….
